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Huardís injury tilts Chiefs QB contest further toward Croyle

Chiefs quarterback Damon Huard is hobbled by a leg injury and finds himself looking at a backup role.

The Chiefsí quarterback competition appeared to be tipping toward Brodie Croyle anyway, but Damon Huardís sore leg could end all of the suspense.

Huard didnít practice Monday. He stood close by with an ice pack on his chronically sore right calf. He noticeably favored the leg when he walked.

Huard has been bothered by the sore calf during training camp, but this was the first time he missed a practice because of it. There was no indication the injury would keep him out long term, but the Chiefs were unsure whether he would practice today or play in Thursday nightís preseason game against New Orleans at Arrowhead Stadium.

ďI donít know that,Ē coach Herm Edwards said. ďIíve got to check with the trainer to see what he says. Weíve got another couple of days to see where he is.Ē
Edwards said over the weekend that Croyle would start against the Saints and play the entire first half and perhaps into the third quarter.

Asked what Huardís absence on Thursday night might do to the quarterback battle, Edwards said: ďThen you have to make the decision based on the information you have on hand. Weíll go back over the preseason games and the practices and everything else. Thatís how weíll make our decision. This (wouldnít) kill (Huardís) chances.Ē

Huard declined to comment.

Ever since last seasonís end, Edwards appeared to be leaning toward making Croyle the starter. Edwards talked in the immediate hours after the playoff loss to Indianapolis about the need to get Croyle ready to play this season.

Since then, the Chiefs re-signed Huard, who would have been a free agent, and traded Trent Green to Miami, but Croyle was always a central figure in their plans. Before the trade, Green was hesitant to return to the Chiefs because he feared the quarterback competition would be tilted in Croyleís favor.

Croyle and Huard split the work almost equally until Monday. Nothing the Chiefs have seen from Croyle, not even the two seemingly preventable interceptions in the two preseason games, has soured them.

Edwards has been noncommittal publicly since the start of training camp about the quarterback battle. But he has said he wants to settle on a quarterback for the foreseeable future and not just this season, something more easily done by going with the 24-year-old Croyle instead of the 34-year-old Huard.

Itís also obvious from the training camp practices that the Chiefs have more offensive capability with Croyle, who has superior passing skills. The Chiefs might have to live with a few more turnovers if Croyle is their quarterback.

ďThereís definitely a great difference between the two guys,Ē guard Brian Waters said. ďDamon is as reliable as there is. You can count on him to be consistent, and you know exactly how heís going to be. Brodie is a great talent, but for all the talent he has, he has to be a more consistent player if he wants to play in this league.Ē

Croyle welcomed the extra work, not only Thursday night but also in Mondayís practice. He and Huard had rotated in and out of the starting lineup in practice.
ďItís hard to go out there knowing youíve got three or four series, because you feel like every play youíve got to make something happen,Ē Croyle said. ďIíd love playing into the third quarter. You can get yourself into a pretty good rhythm.

ďAt this point Iím just as comfortable throwing to the second- and third-team guys as I am the first-team guys. The more you get to go with a certain group, the more comfortable youíre going to be, the more certain you are about where guys are going to be on certain routes.Ē

THAT quarterback is NOT a Pro Bowl quarterback. Never was and never will be.

(queue the battle hymn of the republic music -- sorry Canada, but it's for dramatic affect)

Chiefs sucked in pre-season last year if I remember correctly. I don't think we scored a TD (and that was with Trent Green in his "prime" and LJ). Remember what we did last year? 9-7 and a play-off spot.

Defense: better.
Receivers: better.
Kicker: maybe not better, but at least it's not LT.
O-Line: a step back, but give them time to play together.

Guys, if I hear any quitters in this group of people after 3 stupid *&^%$# games, I'm leaving.

I don't care if they do start Croyle. We get 8 games in Arrowhead. ARROWHEAD. We get to play the Raiders twice.

I stand by 10-6.

Now shape up and get together. Look & sound like the greatest football fans on the face of the planet.

No more talk about fighting the Raiders for last or 3 win seasons.

Just picture the 70k in RED chanting and the old Ozzy song they play before a Chiefs kick-off. This is our year....

Who's with me????

(...his truth is marching on.....)

You can only have one favorite team. There are no "second favorites".
-- Chris, resident of Arrowhead East (St. Louis)

(queue the battle hymn of the republic music -- sorry Canada, but it's for dramatic affect)

Chiefs sucked in pre-season last year if I remember correctly. I don't think we scored a TD (and that was with Trent Green in his "prime" and LJ). Remember what we did last year? 9-7 and a play-off spot.

Defense: better.
Receivers: better.
Kicker: maybe not better, but at least it's not LT.
O-Line: a step back, but give them time to play together.

Guys, if I hear any quitters in this group of people after 3 stupid *&^%$# games, I'm leaving.

I don't care if they do start Croyle. We get 8 games in Arrowhead. ARROWHEAD. We get to play the Raiders twice.

I stand by 10-6.

Now shape up and get together. Look & sound like the greatest football fans on the face of the planet.

No more talk about fighting the Raiders for last or 3 win seasons.

Just picture the 70k in RED chanting and the old Ozzy song they play before a Chiefs kick-off. This is our year....

Who's with me????

(...his truth is marching on.....)

I'm not sure how to spell the sound that crickets make.........................................

Right on. Let's do it! Superbowl bound! There's always a chance, man. I can't dispute that. I think sometimes the ESPN brainwashing takes effect on even the most loyal of fans. When you hear about how bad your team sucks 7 days a week and you see a performance like last night, sometimes emotion can override loyalty. Just for a few minutes or hours, though. I'm already geared up for the gov's cup game against the Rams and I can't wait to get into the regular season. GO CHIEFS!!!

Right on. Let's do it! Superbowl bound! There's always a chance, man. I can't dispute that. I think sometimes the ESPN brainwashing takes effect on even the most loyal of fans. When you hear about how bad your team sucks 7 days a week and you see a performance like last night, sometimes emotion can override loyalty. Just for a few minutes or hours, though. I'm already geared up for the gov's cup game against the Rams and I can't wait to get into the regular season. GO CHIEFS!!!

It's a 23 game fight. So we got punched a couple of times. These guys are not going to be pushovers all season. Last night sucked, you have to go back 36 years to the last time a team had a season with no sh*tty losses. We lost a couple fo practice games and on opening day I am going to drink a beer for every point we score!! I figure I will need a couple of cases. Anyways all the non believers can kiss my A$$ cause when we hoist the Lombardi trophy I will be there to say "told ya so!!"

The only reason a beer sweats around Canada is because he's decided it will be the next beer he drinks.